Venetian blind



D. J. cRoxEN 2,690,215

VENETIAN BLIND Filed Oct. 26, 1953 Sept. 28, 1954"Wiiih-lulmlmlniiuimlun f za DONALD J. CROXN,

INVENTOR.

ATTORNEK Patented sept. 2s, 1954 UNITED STATES ?ATENT OFFICE VENETIANBLIND Donald Croxen, Lawndale, Calif.

Application October 26, 1953, Serial No. 388,194

2 Claims. 1

The present invention relates generally to a Venetian blind structureand relates more particularly to a Venetian blind slat arrangement forproviding a nearly light-tight closure for windows and the like. Thepresent invention contemplates the use of a plurality of crowned slatsthat are adapted for edge-to-edge contact when moved to a closedposition, thereby to prevent the passage of light thereabout, whilestill retaining the relative simplicity of such blinds and operatingmechanism thereof.

Heretofore, Venetian blind structures have utilized a plurality of slatssupported on various types of tapes, cross bars, and lift cordarrangements, these arrangements necessarily extending intermediate theslats and tending to hold such slats in spaced relationship when in aclosed position. This prior construction permitted the passage of asuicient amount of light between the slats, as to prohibit the use ofsuch closures in situations requiring the darkening of rooms or thelike. For example, in classrooms, it is often desirable to darken theroom to enable projection and viewing of motion pictures or slides.Heretofore, it has been necessary to provide the windows of suchclassrooms with auxiliary curtains, drapes or shades in order toaccomplish such darkening, while still retaining conventional Venetianblinds. This additional equipment has been necessarily expensive andoften unattractive, thus establishing the desirability for more efcientlight control means for the Venetian blinds.

Prior attempts at a solution to this light passing problem in Venetianblinds have included relatively large longitudinal notches in the edgeof each slat, these notches being of a length wider than the combinedwidth of two adjacent cross bars or tapes and the lift cord to permitmovement of the slats into a closed position. Such construction presentsopen areas that are either not used or not lled with operating orsupporting structure when the blind was closed, thereby to permit thepassage of undesirable light therethrough.

With reference to the drawing:

Figure 1 is a perspective view taken from the rear of a Venetian blindstructure of the present invention; Y

Figure 2 is a fragmentary sectional view taken substantially asindicated by the line 2 2, Figure 1, and showing the edge-to-edgecontact attained by the slats utilized in the present invention;

Figure 3 is a perspective view showing a plurality of adjacent slats;

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken substantially as indicated by line 44, Figure l;

Figure 5 is a sectional view of the slats taken at the connection of thesupport tapes to the tilt bar with the slats shown in an open position;and

Figure 6 is a fragmentary transverse sectional View taken substantiallyas indicated by line 6 6, Figure 5.

In the drawing, with reference primarily to Figure 1 thereof, theVenetian blind structure of the present invention is shown as indicatedgenerally at I0. As shown, the upper portion of the blind is adapted tobe supported by a suitable Valance box II having side portions I2 and I3and end caps or boxes I4. In accordance with conventional practice, thevalance box I4 is adapted to be secured adjacent the upper portions of aWindow or the like. The boxes I@ are adapted to house suitableconventional blind operating mechanisms I5. The mechanism I5 may beoperatively secured to a tilt bar I6, Fig-- ures 4 and 5, the detailconstruction thereof to be hereinafter more fully described.

It is to be clearly understood that, While the present Venetian blindstructure is shown and will be described in connection with a specificvalance box and associated supporting structure, the invention has manyapplications in connection with a variety of like arrangements.

The Venetian blind structure comprises a plurality of slats andsupporting structure therefor that is indicated generally at II andadapted to be supported from the upper end thereof as by any suitableconventional attachment means. The sides or ends of the various slatsmay be disposed intermediate vertically extending channel members. i8 toprevent the passage of light about the end portions of the blind. Themembers I8 may be secured adjacent the opposite ends of the slats by anysuitable means desired so long as they surround or embrace the outerextremities of the blind.

The blind structure l1 is composed of a plurality of relatively thinelongated slat members I9. These slat members may be made from metal,plastic, wood, or the like and are preferably crowned, as best shown inFigure 2. The slats I9 are adapted to be supported in normally spacedrelationship by means of vertically disposed front and rear mainsupporting tapes 2u and 2| arranged on each side of the plurality ofslats. The upper ends of the tapes 26 and 2i may be suitably secured tothe tilt bar IB that is rotatably supported within the valance box II,as sho-wn primarily in Figure 5. A plurality of cross tapes 22 aresecured to and/or formed from the tapes 2e and 2l, and extend betweensaid main tapes, the slats I9 being adapted to be supported by and reston these cross tapes. As shown primarily in Figure l, the cross tapes 22are arranged in staggered relationship to each other and disposed onopposite sides of .the centerlines of the main supporting tapes 22 and2l, in order thereby to reduce mechanical interference one with theother when the blind structure is moved from one position to another. Aspace is thus presented transversely intermediate the cross tapes forplacement of other supporting and operating mechanism to be hereinafterdescribed.

'Ihe cross tapes 22, being connected to the main supporting tapes 20 and2l at equally spaced points to form ladders are substantially paralleland are all substantially horizontal at what may be termed the maximumopen position of the slats I9 shown in Figure 5. A feature of theinvention is that the tilt bar I6 is transversely inclined upwardly andrearwardly from the horizontal, as shown in solid lines in Figure 5,when the cross tapes 22 are substantially horizontal. As may be seen inFigure 5, this relationship between the tilt bar l5 and the cross tapes22 is provided by connecting the tilt bar to the iront supporting tape2@ by an upper end portion 26a of the supporting tape that is relativelyshort as measured upward from the uppermost cross tape 22, and byconnecting the tilt bar to the rear supporting tape 2| by a longer endportion 2id of the rear supporting tape 2l.

In order to provide the light-restricting seal contemplated by thepresent invention, as shown primarily in Figures 3 and 6, each of theslats i9, adjacent opposite ends thereof, is provided with cutouts 23 inthe rear edges thereof which may be referred to as rst marginal notches.Ihe cutouts 23 are substantially rectangular and adapted, adjacent onelongitudinal end portion thereof, to accommodate the Vstaggered crosstapes 22. The cutouts in adjacent slats i9 have portions that arestaggered to correspond to the staggered relationship of the cross tapes22, thereby to reduce the size of such cutouts and eliminate thebeforementioned unnecessary openings that would normally admit unndesirable light therethrough.

In accordance with conventional practice in the manufacture of Venetianblinds, each of the slats i9 is provided with transversely extendingelliptical apertures 24 through which a lift cord 25 is adapted toextend. The apertures 24 are in vertical alignment in adjacent slats i9,in transverse alignment with end portions 25 of the cutouts 23 andformed forwardly from the longitudinal centerline 0I the slats i9. Theend portions 26 of the cutouts which intercept the extended axes of theelongated apertures 2li are in vertical alignment in adjacent slats i9and adapted to accommodate the lift cord 25 when the blind is moved to aclosed position. It may further be seen that the end portions 25 of thecutouts and the openings 2d are substantially transversely aligned andpositioned in the open space between the cross tapes 22.

When the Venetian blind is moved to a closed position with the rearedges of the slats IS directed downwardly, the cross tapes 22 and thelift cord 25 will be disposed in the cutouts 23, thus to permit fullclosure of the blind structure in a manner shown primarily in Figures 2and 4. It is to be noted that as the blind is moved toward a closedposition, and as the tilt bar H5 moves in a clockwise direction from thesolid line position to the dotted line position in Figure 5, the shorterfront supporting tape 2E) will be pulled taut while the rear tape 2iwill be slackened. As shown, the tilt bar I6 rotates to a position inthe order of six degrees past the vertical of the blind structure. Therotation oi the tilt bar l@ past a vertical position, through theshortened front tapes induces a rotational force in each Slat thatexceeds that encountered in conventional blind construction to force therear edges of the slats into positive engagement with the convex surfaceof adjacent slats. As the slats are thus forcibly moved into the closedposition, the depth of the notches 23 can be held to a minimum.

In an open position, as shown in Figures 5 and 6, the rear edges of theslats I9 are adapted for suspension on the tapes 22 at points adjacentthe rear main supporting tape 2@ with the inner edge 2l of the cutouts23 engaging the tapes In order to insure constant precise alignment ofthe cross tapes 22 with the staggered cutouts 23, as shown in Figures 3and 6, each of the slats i9 is provided with a pair of T-shaped slots2i? in the front edge thereof and remote from the cutouts 23. Theseshaped slats may be referred to as second marginal notches. The slots 28are staggered in relation to each other in adjacent slats I9 and adaptedto receive the cross tapes in a manner permitting the cross tapes te beslidable therein as may be necessary when moving the slats from oneposition to another. The

- slots 2t are of a width just sumcient to permit reception and freemovement of the tapes while still preventing excess light from passingthereabout. Each of the slots iid has one end thereof in transversealignment with the correspending end of the adjacent cutout 23, 'thus toguide the slats IS and insure constant disposition of the cross tapes 22in the cutouts rIlhese slots 23 also permit a reduction in the Width ofthe cutouts 23 as might otherwise be required to insure the constantalignment of the tapes 22 therein.

The slots 28 also form, as best shown in ure 6, pair of oppositelydirected tongues fd having their adjacent ends spaced apart tofacilitate reception of the cross tapes 22 into the slots 28. Thetongues 29, once the tapes 22 are disposed in the slots 28, act to holdthe slats against pivotal mcvement relative to the cross tapes. Thisconstruction thus prevents move- K ment of the slats by reason of draftsor wind currents as well as careless L'handling of the slats byoccupants of the room in which the blinds are mounted.

As shown in Figure 3, each end or" the slats i@ is provided with a groupconsisting or" a cutout or i'lrst marginal notch, elliptical opening oraperture and T-shaped slot or second marginal notch which will cooperateto accomplish the purpose of the present invention. These necessary openareas through the slats are formed in such a manner as to reduce lightpassing openings to a minimum and to present no open areas that are notused in the maintenance of effective and reliable operatingcharacteristics for the blind. The group of openings at each end of theslats ld are reversed in order to maintain uniiormly manufacturedarticles.

Having thus described the invention and the present embodiment thereof,it is desired to emphasize the fact that other modiiications may beresorted to in a manner only limited by a just interpretation of thefollowing claims.

I claim:

l. A set of slats of curved cross sectional coniguration for use in afull-closure Venetian blind having at least two lift cords and at leasttwo corresponding pairs of vertical supporting tapes with the verticaltapes of each pair interconnected by cross tapes to form at least twoladders, and with the cross tapes narrower than the supporting tapes andstaggered alternately on opposite sidesof the center lines of thesupporting tapes, each of the slats of said set having a group ofopenings for cooperation with each of said ladders and the correspondinglift cord, one of said openings of each group being an elongatedaperture for said lift cord with the axis of the aperture extendingtransversely of the slat, said aperture being positioned to one side endof one of said cross tapes, the dimension of said rst notchlongitudinally of the slat being greater than the width oi a cross tapebut less than twice such Width, with an end portion of said first notchintercepting the extended axis of said aperture to receive said liftcord when the blind is closed, another of said openings of each groupbeing a second notch in the margin of the slat on the same side of thelongitudinal center line of the slat as said apertLu'e for the other endof said one cross tape, said second notch having a relatively narrowmarginal entrance and having a dimension longitudinally of the slatsubstantially equal to the width of a cross tape, said rst notches ofthe successive slats extending alternately in opposite directions fromthe extended axes of the corresponding apertures in the slats with saidend portions of the iirst notches of the successive slats in verticalalignment, said second notches of the successive slats being likewisepositioned alternately on opposite sides of the axes of thecorresponding apertures of the slats.

2. A full-closure Venetian blind, comprising: a vertical series ofhorizontal slats; at least two ladders supporting said slats, each ofsaid ladders comprising a front vertical supporting tape and a rearvertical supporting tape interconnected by a plurality of verticallyspaced cross tapes, said cross tapes being narrower than the supportingtapes and staggered alternately on opposite sides of the center lines ofthe supporting tapes; lift cords passing down through said laddersbetween said alternately staggered cross tapes; a plurality ofvertically spaced horizontal slats of curved cross sectionalconfiguration supported by said cross tapes, each of said slats having agroup of openings for cooperation with each of said ladders and thecorresponding lift cord, one of said openings of each ygroup being anelongated aperture for said lift cord with the axis of the apertureextending transversely of the slat, said aperture being positioned toone side of the longitudinal center line of the slat, another of saidopenings of each group being a irst notch in the margin of the slat tothe other side of the longitudinal center line of the slat for one endof one said cross tapes, the dimension of said first notchlongitudinally of the slat being greater than the width of a cross tapebut less than twice such width, with an end portion of said iirst notchintercepting the extended axis of said aperture to receive said liftcord when the blind is closed, another of said openings of each groupbeing a second notch in the margin of the slat on the same side of thelongitudinal center line of the slat as said aperture for the other endof said one cross tape, said second notch having a relatively narrowmarginal entrance and having a dimension longitudinally of the slatsubstantially equal to the width of a cross tape, said rst notches ofthe successive slats extending alternately in opposite directions fromthe extended axes of the corresponding apertures in the slats with saidend portions of the first notches of the successive slats in verticalalignment, said second notches of the successive slats being likewisepositioned alternately on opposite sides of the axes of the correspond-Y ing apertures of the slats; and an upper horizontal tilt bar rotatableabout an axis longitudinally thereof, the front of said tilt bar beingoperatively connected with the front supporting tape of each ladder at agiven distance from the uppermost cross tape of the ladder and the rearof the tilt bar being connected to the rear supporting tape of eachladder at a greater distance from the uppermost cross tape of theladder, whereby the cross tapes are positioned substantiallyhorizontally when said tilt bar is tilted upwardly and rearwardly fromthe horizontal.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 2,572,224 Walker Oct. 23, 1951 2,573,700 Ferguson et al. Nov.6, 1951 2,646,115 Bucher et al July 21, 1953

